


Are You Ready For It?

by fauxghost



Category: Voltron: Defenders of Tomorrow, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, Superpowers, Vigilantism, leakira - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-06-28 09:49:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15704793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fauxghost/pseuds/fauxghost
Summary: "In the middle of the night, in my dreams, you should see the things we do, baby."Whether it’s because of fate, a random series of coincidences, or from the way their quintessences seem to be linked, Leandro and Akira find each other. Trouble follows them everywhere, but it’s nothing they can’t handle.[Leakira vigilante AU.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leandro and Akira are reimagined cyberpunk version of Lance and Keith created by @kciths and @captainlumin on twitter! It’s basically like a big AU and everyone is contributing different ideas and headcanons! For the purposes of my fic:  
> -They live in a futuristic cyberpunk version of Earth. Technology companies run the world. Vigilantes fight off criminals. Superpowers are very common.  
> -Leandro has powers over darkness and shadows, and Akira has weather powers, especially electricity and lightning powers.  
> -Everyone has quintessence within them that glows when they feel strong emotions.  
> Quintessence can also be linked to another person, which can help draw you to your soulmate and family members if they are nearby or in danger. (Inspired by tearjoonie on twitter)  
> I hope you enjoy!

The city is never quiet, but there’s something about the fresh night air and the flickering neon street signs that instill a sense of serenity in Leandro. There’s a party going on a few blocks away, and the booming music pumps in time with his heartbeat. It’s some song about hope, about looking towards tomorrow. The highway is beyond that, adding the noise of whirring cars and faraway sirens to the soundtrack of Leandro’s city night. This is his favorite time to be out, when the darkness is tangible, dancing around him like the stars that circle above. It’s the best time to get a clear head.

Leandro has always been in tune with his quintessence, and tonight, he feels as if he’s being drawn somewhere. Like something is calling to him.

As he makes his way towards the source, the breeze chills him in a way that makes him feel wide awake. He can almost hear it whispering to him, _closer, you’re getting closer –_ or maybe that’s his own quintessence, whirling inside of him, pushing him onward.

He hears some kind of commotion coming from nearby. Yelling and gunshots echo through the streets, along with some kind of metallic slicing sound, something way too powerful to be a regular blade. Common sense tells him to retreat, but Leandro is among those with the uncommon sense that one should run towards danger instead of away from it. Danger will catch up no matter what – at least he’ll be more prepared by facing it head on.

Closing his eyes, Leandro reaches for the darkness that clings to the dimly lit street. Effortlessly, he melts into the shadows, becoming darkness himself. Now invisible, he advances towards the fight, which is taking place in a small alleyway. Turning the corner, he feels his quintessence swell inside of him as he watches a boy with striking white hair and a red leather jacket fight off fifteen gang members. The boy is wielding a large sword with an angry red glow, ruthlessly slashing it through the air like he’s made of trouble.

It’s Akira Masao.

Leandro's quintessence, the blue energy source that fills soul and runs through his veins, begins to glow, lighting up his figure that would otherwise be clouded by shadows. It doesn’t go unnoticed, and some of the gang members advance on him. Akira reacts instantly, lifting his sword with a concentrated expression. His dark eyes flash yellow for a split second, and then lighting bursts from the tip of his weapon, crackling as it wraps around the men.

The gang members fall to the ground, unconscious.

As Leandro fades out of the shadows, Akira meets eyes with him. “Run!”

“Watch out!” He replies, sending a flash of darkness towards a man poised to shoot Akira. The man stumbles backwards as the shadows blind him, and he misses the shot.

To Leandro’s surprise, Akira grins, revealing deep dimples and a small glint in his otherwise dark eyes. “Nice trick.”

After that, the two of them begin fighting together like it was something they were born to do. Flickers of lightning dash wildly through the air, lighting up the alley and striking gang members at Akira’s will. Melting in and out of the shadows, Leandro avoids their gunfire and manipulates the darkness so it surrounds the men, blurring their vision. From a fallen gang member, Leandro picks up two pistols and fires them like it’s second nature, driving back the remaining forces of the gang.

Akira’s powers are almost distracting – the way the lighting streams from his fingertips, making the entire street smell like an oncoming storm. He creates light the way Leandro creates darkness; like a controlled disaster, a wild but elegant thing.

Just as Leandro’s beginning to feel unstoppable, two black cars pull up to the alleyway, and out pour more criminals with deadly weapons. Someone must have gotten away and called for backup. Sensing their slim chance of beating this many opponents, Akira springs to action. He runs towards a black motorcycle that leans against the nearest building. It glows a menacing red when he starts it up. With an urgent tone, he calls out, “Come on!”

Mustering his energy, Leandro sends another cloud of shadows towards the gang members, and then jumps onto the back of the motorcycle. They take off with a speed that almost knocks him to the ground. Instinctively, he clings to Akira, watching as the other men pile back into their cars and follow them.

“Careful with those things.” Akira mutters, nodding at the guns in Leandro’s hands.

Leandro ignores his comment, hesitantly letting go of him with one hand to fire at the advancing cars. He ducks as they return his gunfire. “They’re right behind us! Can this thing go any faster?”

“You shoot, I drive.” Akira says, making a hard left. “Now shut up and trust me!”

The sharp turn almost sending Leandro flying again. Their pursuers follow, shooting more bullets their way. The sounds of the gunshots are deafening, competing only with the  thunderous pounding of Leandro’s heart. As unpredictable as Akira’s driving is, the men are relentless, following them around another curve. Beginning to worry about the number of bullets left in his pistols, Leandro focuses on his powers again, using all of the energy he dares. He feels a sharp tug in his gut as all of the shadows on the street crash into one of the cars, slamming it into a wall.

It’s the first time Leandro has ever done something like that, but he has little time to ponder it. The other car manages to avoid the crash. Using his abilities to that extent takes a toll on him, but he refuses to give up, especially when he’s Akira’s only protection. If he could take out the driver, they would get a headstart, but the gunfire from the gang is too heavy. Despite the risk, he resolves to use his powers again. In a matter of seconds, he calls to the darkness until it’s under his control. He’s able to solidify it enough to create a shield around the motorcycle, but he knows it won’t hold for long.

Up ahead, sounds of music and laughter become louder. “Akira? We need to lead them away from that party!”

“ _S_ _hit._ ” Akira mutters, turning onto a side street.

While the city is shrouded in darkness, it belongs to Leandro, and he recognizes where they are immediately. He quickly maps out the best way to escape the party and get farther away from civilian homes. “Take the next left, and then a right.”

Akira speeds up, following his instructions, and the city turns into a blur of bright colors that whip past them every second. It’s beautiful, in a terrifying way. Leandro finds himself clinging onto the other boy a little tighter, but before he can get his bearings, the shield breaks. It leaves them vulnerable to gunfire, and the gang takes advantage immediately. Leandro matches their fire with everything he has, simultaneously sending waves of darkness towards the advancing car, pushing it back.

His entire body aches, but he doesn’t let up. With another burst of energy, he gets a direct hit on one of the tires, which sends the car sprawling out of control for a moment until the driver gets it back on the road, moving much slower than before. Seeming to understand their chances of winning the battle, the car flips around and starts heading the other way, looking fairly pathetic with a blown out tire.

Breathlessly, Leandro says, “They’re retreating.”

Akira slows to a stop.

“Shouldn’t we go after them?”

Instead of answering, Akira asks, “Can you shadow travel?”

“Yes,” Leandro says, stepping off the motorcycle so he can look at Akira, whose intense gaze makes his quintessence swirl [took out excitedly] in his stomach. “I mean, I’ve done it before.”

“There’s no time time explain, but do you think you can follow them? Find out where they’re based without being detected?” Akira speaks quickly, knowing that the criminals are already getting farther away. “If we follow them on my bike, they’ll notice.”

The mere thought of using more of his powers – especially shadow travelling – makes Leandro feel exhausted to the core, but he nods anyway. “I can try, but I’ll have to do it alone. It takes more energy to bring another person.”

“Meet me at the party, then. And be careful.” Akira says, already starting up his motorcycle. Before driving away, he flashes Leandro a small smile. “You might want to get going.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Kudos and comments are appreciated!  
> (Come scream with me on Twitter about Leakira @waywardbaz)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leandro meets up with Akira again and remembers their first meeting, three years ago.

Leandro stumbles into the party, which is being held inside a tall skyscraper. The neon lights are aglow, the music is deafening, and people are everywhere; dancing, drinking, letting their quintessence beam from the inside out.

It takes him twenty minutes to find Akira, but when he does, it’s a welcome sight. He’s on the roof of the skyscraper, sitting on the ledge and looking out to the city of Lumina. His peaceful expression is captivating, so different from his intensity during the battle. The sounds from the party are muted up here, and the roof is decorated with glowing flowers and sparkling lights that cast different colors onto his face. From their height, the city below is distant and beautiful, shining in the darkness.

Realizing that he’s been staring, Leandro clears his throat and speaks. “Were you hiding from me on purpose?”

Akira looks back at him, the corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. “No. It’s nicer up here. I’m not much of a party person.”

Cautiously sitting next to him on the roof’s edge, Leandro says, “I followed the car to Garrison Tech.”

“What?”

Garrison Tech is a powerful technology company, dominating the market when it comes to communication devices, computers, artificial intelligence, holograms – everything. Given it’s respected reputation, it was the last place that Leandro expected a gang to end up at. “I know, it sounds crazy. They pulled into a garage at the Garrison Tech headquarters.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Akira mutters to himself, frowning.

“I wanted to find a way inside, but…” Leandro holds back a sigh. “I was too drained.” _I barely even made it back to the party,_ he thinks.

Akira’s dark eyes reflect the neon lights as he turns to look at Leandro. “You’ve done enough. Thank you.”

“Who were those guys, anyway?”

“A dangerous gang.” He gazes back at the view with a hardened look. “They’ve always been trouble, but lately… they’ve been kidnapping people. Mostly homeless people, in hopes that their disappearances would go unnoticed. That’s what they were doing tonight, but I caught up with them just in time.”

Leandro’s head spins. He’s still weak from using too much of his powers, but he tries not to show it. “Why would they be working for Garrison Tech?”

“I don’t know. That’s what I’m going to figure out.” Akira says, voice filled with determination. He stands up, smoothly swinging his legs off the ledge and heading back towards the party.

Although he didn’t expect anything different, Leandro feels something like disappointment coming over him as Akira walks away. “Are you leaving?”

“I’m getting you something to eat.” He replies. “You must be pretty drained.”

“Oh, that’s…” _Thoughtful,_ Leandro muses, but can’t seem to get the words out when Akira is standing there, looking at him with an uncharacteristically earnest expression. “Uh, thank you.”

“I never got your name.”

Quintessence buzzing in his fingertips, he says, “Leandro.”

“I’m Akira.”

“I know.” When Akira raises an eyebrow, Leandro elaborates. “You saved my life once. The house fire, three years ago.”

“Oh.”

Saying nothing more, Akira descends the stairs, leaving Leandro alone with his thoughts.

 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆. ﾟ☽ ﾟ.☆ﾟ｡･ ───

 

Three years ago, Leandro and his family were living in a neighborhood with a high crime rate. Some local gang got bored and came up with a new way to pass the time: arson.

It should have been a regular summer night, but Leandro awoke to screams and the raging sound of uncontrollable fire. He was surrounded by flames so bright and large, he could barely breathe. At fifteen, his powers were new to him, and he had never trained them. Shadow travelling was out of the question, and he panicked as the fire grew, tearing apart his family’s home in a matter of minutes. He could still remember the heat clinging to him, and the choking smell of smoke that filled the air.

He managed to get his siblings and parents safely outside through a window, but the roof caved in as he was about to follow, and the fire lashed out at him, blocking his path. Flames raged around him, and his blurry eyes could find no escape. Leandro was alone, he was terrified, and he was going to die. At least his family made it out, he thought. _At least I saved them._

That was when Akira showed up, the young but talented vigilante that Leandro had heard rumors about. Seeming to appear out of nowhere, he fearlessly made his way towards Leandro. The flames danced around him, as if they were afraid to get too close. His sword, more powerful than any regular weapon, slashed through a wall and gave them enough of an opening to get away from the fire.

Once they were outside, Akira didn’t even stop to catch his breath. While Leandro reunited with his family members, the vigilante lifted his hands towards the sky. Dark clouds converged, casting a shadow over the flaming house. All at once, the clouds let loose, drenching the house until the flames were extinguished. After that, Akira disappeared, leaving behind nothing but smoke.

From that moment on, Leandro felt the overwhelming desire to become a vigilante, and a strange connection to Akira Masao, the boy who controlled the clouds.

 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆. ﾟ☽ ﾟ.☆ﾟ｡･ ───

 

Smoky skies are replaced with calm night air as Akira reenters, shaking Leandro out of the memory. “I remember you now.” He says, “You saved your family from the fire.”

“Why did you leave so quickly?” Leandro asks. It’s something he always wondered about. “I would’ve liked to thank you.”

He sits next to Leandro, closer than before, handing him fries and a soda. “I usually don’t stick around after my job is done, and I was pretty drained after creating that storm.”

Leandro gratefully accepts the food. “I know the feeling.”

As Akira looks out towards the horizon, Leandro can’t help but sneak a few glances at him. From white hair, to multiple ear piercings, a tight line of black eyeliner across his lids, and the faded red scar on his face, there’s a lot to take in. If Akira notices, he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he asks a thoughtful question. “So, you’re not actually a vigilante, are you?”

With a sheepish smile, Leandro replies, “What gave me away?”

“You didn’t have your own weapon. And your powers are incredible, but it’s pretty clear you’re out of practice.” Akira says, and then fixes his gaze on Leandro. “Do you want to become one?”

“I’ve always thought about it.” Leandro tries to keep his tone light. “You know, someday…”

“Why not today?”

“Well,” He messes with his curls nervously. “Overprotective family, and, uh… self doubt. I guess.”

“Why doubt yourself? You definitely saved my ass a few times back there.”

Leandro huffs. “ _More_ than a few.”

“More than a few.” He replies, grinning as he leans over Leandro to take a fry. As he shifts, his jacket slides down to reveal a black muscle tank and arms covered in intricate tattoos. This time, he does notice Leandro staring, and his grin turns into something more mischievous. “Wanna see?”

“See what?” Leandro looks away, hoping his blush isn’t obvious.

“My tattoos.” Akira answers, finishing off the fry and then shrugging off his jacket. Trailing all around his muscled arms are bolts of lightning, interconnected, jagged, and sharp. The black ink somehow has a low red glow to it.

Without thinking, Leandro slowly traces one of the lightning bolts with his finger. As soon as he touches Akira, the tattoo lights up, turning bright purple. They look at each other, surprised, but Leandro doesn’t shy away. Delicately, he traces more of the tattoos, fingers trailing down Akira’s arm. When he does, the tattoos change, shifting to the glowing purple color.

“That’s… weird.” Akira’s voice sounds strained, but not unpleasant. “My quintessence is red.”

Leandro meets eyes with him. “Mine is blue.”

After a few seconds of silence, they break eye contact, and Leandro lets go of Akira’s arm. The tattoos turn back to their original reddish black color.

“I should…” Akira clears his throat, standing up. “It’s late, I should get going.”

“Me too.” Leandro says quietly, but he doesn’t move. He listens as Akira walks away, staring at the colorful cityscape, and fighting the urge to watch him go.

Akira’s footsteps pause. “Go to Henare’s. Ask to see Dante.”

Turning around to look at him, Leandro asks, “The bar?”

“It covers as a bar. Underneath it, Dante makes weapons for vigilantes. There’s training rooms, too.”

Leandro nods, understanding. “Thank you, Akira.”

“Maybe we’ll meet again sometime.”

“I hope so,” He replies, allowing himself to be bold.

Akira’s tattoos flash a brighter red for a second, and then he’s gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this update, and thanks for all the nice comments on the last chapter!!  
> Twitter: @waywardbaz


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leandro faces his anxiety about becoming a vigilante, and then faces off with a certain someone in a game of laser tag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Henare = Hunk  
> Hiroshi = Shiro  
> Dante = Adam

Leandro enters Henare’s bar feeling anxious. At five o’clock, the bar is already filled with people. It’s a relaxed place, with dim neon lights and a classic 1980’s song playing in the background. The darkness makes him feel more composed. He walks up to the counter, where a friendly looking guy with glowing yellow tattoos is standing. “What can I get for you?”

“Actually, I’m here to see Dante.”

“Ah,” He gives Leandro a knowing smile. “Right this way.”  

It’s as if Leandro’s feet are rooted in the floor. When the bartender gives him a questioning look, he stammers, “Uh, do you think he’s busy? I mean, I wouldn’t want to bother him or anything.”

The man’s smile doesn’t fade. “Nervous?”

“Yes.” Leandro breathes.

“Take a seat.” Hesturing to the barstools at the counter. “I’m Henare, by the way.”

“Leandro.” Visibly relaxing thanks to Henare’s hospitality, Leandro sits down and takes another look around. “You own this place?”

“It’s jointly owned.” Henare explains while whipping up some sort of drink. “Dante and his husband, Hiroshi, take care of the weaponry business downstairs, while I run the bar and work as an engineer for them.”  
It was strange to think about how many times he had passed Henare’s bar without knowing what was going on underneath it. “Is Dante, um…?”

“He’s a pretty serious guy, and protective over his family. But he’s also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.”

“Does he have a big family, then?” Leandro asks, thinking of his own family back home, not without a pang in his heart.

“No, just him and Hiroshi. And a younger guy, Akira.”

Leandro’s quintessence flashes for a second, lighting up his freckles, fingertips, and palms. “Oh.”

Henare chuckles. “You know him?”

“Vaguely.”

“Hm,” Henare hums noncommittally, glancing at Leandro’s hands that had been glowing blue a moment ago. Instead of questioning him further, he slides a bubbly, neon purple drink over to Leandro. The color is unlike anything Leandro has seen before, and it almost seems to shimmer under the light. “Try this. It’s a new recipe.”

Grateful for a subject change, he takes a sip of the drink and sighs blissfully. It tastes like heaven in the form of a sweet blend of fruits, vanilla, and sugar. “Holy shit.”

“You like it?”

Leandro takes another drink before answering, savoring its silky taste. “Love it.”

“It’s nonalcoholic, but I’ve been told it has calming properties. I’m still working on perfecting the recipe, though.”

“No need.” Leandro says. “It’s already perfect.”

Henare returns his grin, and then asks, “So… vigilantism?”

“Yes,” He says quietly. At the mention of it, Leandro’s stomach feels heavy, twisting with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

“If I may ask, why are you so nervous about it?”

“You know, it’s funny… It’s something I’ve always felt called to do, but now that I have the opportunity...” Leandro takes a breath, and then starts talking faster, as if he’s been longing to get the words out. “I’m worried that I’m not good enough, or that I’ll mess something up and someone will get hurt. This is isn’t exactly the future my family imagined for me, but I still want to find a way to make them proud. I guess I’m just scared of letting them down, or – letting myself down.”

Taking this in with his elbows resting on the counter, Henare says, “Maybe the only way you’ll really let anyone down is if you never try.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Leandro replies, already feeling freer now that he’s spoken about it with someone. There’s something about Henare’s comforting yet honest words that make him feel more relaxed. “Sorry for dumping all of that on you, man, but thank you. For listening, I mean.”

“Hey, what’s a bartender for, right?” Henare grins. “Are you ready to see Dante?”

“I am.” He stands. As much as Leandro wants to sit at the bar, drink to his heart’s content, and chat with Henare some more, he knows it’s time to get going. After paying for the drink – Henare declines the money at first, but he insists – he follows the bartender into a back room with a small, unassuming staircase. Henare offers some words of encouragement that are drowned out by Leandro’s pounding heartbeat, and he descends the stairs.

To dream of being a vigilante is one thing, to force it into reality the same way he bends shadows at his will, is another. Leandro can only hope that he’s ready.

The place underneath the bar is like a different world. Leandro isn’t sure what he expected. Maybe a small, rustic looking lab, but it’s almost like an entire compound. He passes multiple training rooms, all with sleek designs and high tech gear. Farther down the brightly lit hallway is the weapons lab. It’s a large room filled with machinery Leandro has never seen before, with every kind of weapon he could imagine lining the walls, all emanating their own colored glow.

A man with unruly brown hair who he assumes is Dante sits on a stool, sharpening a deadly looking blade. He’s wearing glasses that shield his dark eyes, a tight fitting black t-shirt, and leather gloves. He looks up when Leandro enters, wearing a serious but not unkind expression. “Hey. I’ve been expecting you.”

“You have?”

“Akira mentioned you might be coming in.”

Thank the stars above, Leandro’s quintessence keeps cool at the mention of Akira this time. “He did?”

Dante nods, gesturing to the empty seat across from him. “So, before we get started, I have to talk to you about something.”

Leandro sits down, listening intently.

“Akira told me about the way you jumped into the battle. You’re clearly skilled with combat, and your darkness manipulation powers are impressive. You could be a great vigilante.”

“Thank you.”

Dante’s voice becomes quieter, his tone grim. “But I want to make sure you understand something. Being a vigilante isn’t easy, and it’s dangerous. Many come out scarred, mentally and physically, and some don’t make it out at all. I just want you to be careful, especially as a beginner. You have to understand what you’re getting into.”

Leandro nods solemnly. “I understand. I really want this.”

“I can tell.” Dante replies. “I give everyone the same talk: Don’t be reckless, put your own safety first, and never try to tackle anything too big to face on your own. Can I trust you to be careful?”

“Yes.” Leandro says, and he means it. “If it’s okay with you, can I use your training rooms? I want to make sure I’m prepared before I start.”

“Of course you can.” Dante’s tone becomes light again, satisfied with Leandro’s response. “So, what kind of weapon did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking…” Leandro pauses. There are all kinds of weapons covering the walls, from swords to rifles to axes, to things he can’t even name. It’s overwhelming, to say the least. “I was thinking dual pistols?”

That gets a smile out of Dante. “Nice choice.” He stands up, finding an empty space on his worktable to set down the blade he’d been working on.

Leandro follows him to the corner of the room, where a small pistol is mounted on the wall. It has a sleek, black design with an orange glow around the handle. Dante takes it off the wall and hands it to Leandro, who is stunned by the easy grip and lightweight feel of the gun. “This is amazing.”

“Just wait till you fire it.” Dante grins. “All I need to do is make you a second one, and tweak them a bit, so they fit your style.”

“My style?”

“Every vigilante has a style. What city are you from?”

“Lumina.”

Dante looks surprised. “Isn’t that Akira’s turf?”

Leandro isn’t sure how to answer that. “Uh, Akira and I… well, we’re friends, so…”

A familiar voice chimes in. “Are we, Leo?”

It’s Akira. He’s leaning cooly on the doorframe, but his confident expression falters when Leandro makes eye contact with him. Both of their quintessences flash brightly for a moment, and both of them pretend not to notice. Dante raises an eyebrow. “What’s up, Akira?”

Leandro speaks up before he can answer. “No one calls me Leo.”

Akira shrugs. “I just did. So, a pistol?”

“Dual pistols. I just need to make another one, and change the color scheme to blue.” Dante takes the gun from Leandro, examining it. He suppresses a smile while saying, “To match your quintessence, of course.”

“Right.” Leandro blushes, staring at the ground. “Of course.”

“I should have it done in an hour or two.”

“That fast?”

At the same time, Akira chuckles and says, “That slow?”

Dante glares at Akira, but there’s fondness hidden somewhere underneath his scowl. “I’d like to see you do better.”

The younger boy lifts his hands in surrender, but before running out the door he adds, “Get to work, old man!”

Shaking his head, Dante can’t help but laugh. He turns to Leandro. “Well, you’ve got an hour to kill, so…”

He gets the message, and runs off to catch up with Akira.

The other boy is only a few steps down the hall, and he stops, waiting for Leandro to catch up. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

Leandro can’t explain the way his quintessence is drawn to the other boy, but he finds himself liking the way his energy seems to come alive whenever they’re near each other. In the light, Akira’s eyes have an indigo tint to them. His features look softer than they did a few nights ago, without shadows and neon streetlights to carve his jawline and cheekbones. “Dual pistols, then? Your idea?”

“Yeah.”

“I like it.” He says, with a small smile. “So… are we rivals now?”

“Rivals?” They start walking down the hallway, destination unknown to Leandro.

“We’re protecting the same city.”

“I didn’t think about it that way. I think there’s room for two of us, though,” Leandro replies, returning Akira’s smile with a bigger grin of his own.

“We’ll see,” Akira winks, which sends Leandro’s heart into a flurry of irregular beats.

The two of them end up standing in front of one of the training rooms. “I think you’ll like this one. It’s like arcade laser tag, but with a better course and weapons. Shall we?”

“How does it work? Do we play against each other?”

“We can, or we can play on a team and fight against bots.”

“Hm,” Leandro hums. He considers the options for a moment, and then laces his voice with bravado, saying, “I’m totally going to beat you.”

Akira laughs, and Leandro’s quintessence whirls. “I told you, Leo. Rivals.”

 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆. ﾟ☽ ﾟ.☆ﾟ｡･ ───

 

What starts out as a large room with multiple levels, winding staircases, and plain walls becomes a mock cityscape when Akira messes around with a control panel. Everything goes dark for a second, and then the levels are relit with blinding neon lights. The ground floor shifts to become streets and alleyways, while the higher levels give way to tall buildings. A glowing bridge spans across the training room.

It looks like Lumina. Noticing this, Leandro turns to Akira, who’s already looking his way. With fondness in his eyes, he gestures around the room. “It’s my city.”

Leandro smirks at him. “Not for long.”

Without waiting for a response, he dashes onto a side street and gets ready for the battle to begin. Similar to a traditional laser tag game, Akira and Leandro are holding translucent laser guns that glow in the dark. They also wear light weight vests, programmed to keep track of how many times they get hit. Akira has the advantage of experience with the training room, but Leandro has always been skilled with guns, and he doesn’t plan to go down without a good fight.

Everything in the room glows brighter for a moment, which is their signal to start. A song with heavy synth and a fast beat blasts through the speakers, and something in Leandro’s veins becomes electrified. He runs toward the center of the digital city, keeping steady hands on his gun. Multicolored neon lights bounce off the dark road, mimicking the beauty of Lumina nights.

It’s easy for Leandro to detect when the shadows shift, and he senses movement across the street. Just in time, he ducks behind a wall as Akira starts shooting at him. After a few seconds, he takes his chances and jumps out again, sending laser blasts towards the other boy. His gun lights up when he shoots, a deep blue color. Akira doesn’t have any cover, so eventually he retreats. He turns onto a side street, out of sight.

Hesitantly, Leandro follows. He’s led to a small alley, dimly lit by glowing graffiti that marks the walls on either side of him. It’s a dead end, and Akira is nowhere to be found. Just as he’s about to turn back, his vest lights up, indicating that he’s been shot. Whipping around, Leandro is faced with an empty street. When it finally occurs to him to look up, he’s met with the sight of Akira perched on a rooftop, grinning in the darkness. “First rule of vigilantism: use the element of surprise.”

He starts shooting again. Knowing he won’t have a chance while Akira has the high ground, Leandro rushes out of the alley, running deeper into the mock city. There’s no danger in the controlled simulation, but all of the adrenaline that comes with a real fight remains. The beat of the music pounds along with his heartbeat, and for a moment, Leandro feels capable of anything. He has a strong desire to show the other boy what he’s made of, and _maybe_ impress him a little.

Akira must have used a staircase to get to the rooftops, but Leandro decides to take a shortcut. He tenses up as he heads into a shadowy corner, and then relaxes when he fades into the darkness. Like a current, he moves through the shadows. A few seconds later, he’s standing high above the city lights. Akira is a few rooftops away, facing the other direction. Leandro takes the opportunity and starts toward him.

Once he’s close enough, he kneels behind the roof’s raised ledge and aims. Akira’s vest lights up. A direct hit. He continues shooting as Akira turns around, looking surprised. “Second rule,” Leandro yells, still firing his gun. “Never underestimate your opponent.”

Akira breaks into a smile, and his laugh carries through the training room. “Is that all you got?”

“You wish,” He calls back, diving to avoid Akira’s counter shots.

The battle rages on as another song starts playing, this time with piercing electric guitars. The city pulses along with it, lights dancing across the training room, blinding neon colors that glow at random.

Leandro makes use of the shadows, slipping in and out of them and travelling to different rooftops. Using his powers to that extent wears him out, but he willfully ignores the ache in his body. As for Akira – the boy seems to be made out of pure energy. Whether he’s scoffing at how much Leandro depends on his powers or taking his own daring leaps from building to building, Akira’s grin doesn’t fade. Although he obviously prefers swords, he’s ruthless with the laser gun. _He never hesitates,_ Leandro realizes.

His aim falters when he notices something gleaming out of the corner of his eye. It’s some kind of robot – a humanoid shape but with glistening metallic skin, holding a gun of its own. He calls to Akira. “What is that thing?”

“A robot – watch out!” In a matter of seconds, Akira shoots the robot and then jumps to the rooftop Leandro is standing on. He whips around, firing at something behind them.

Leandro follows his gaze and sees more robots advancing towards them. “Is this supposed to be happening?”

“Dante programmed this thing to be unpredictable.” He matches Leandro’s volume but sounds unconcerned, shrugging in between shots. “Looks like we’re on a team now.”

Adapting quickly, Leandro takes a steadying breath and then moves so he’s back to back with Akira. Five other bots show up on farther rooftops, surrounding them. They’re faster than he expects, dodging their fire and moving in quickly, holding guns of their own. Whenever Akira or Leandro hits one of them, their chests light up in neon colors, creating a light show at the top of the city.

Leandro calls back to his newfound battle partner. “How do we beat them?”

“Fifteen direct hits and a bot will be neutralized,” Akira says, sounding breathless but determined as ever. “Every time they hit us, we lose points. Take them all out the game is over.”

Fighting alongside him feels as exhilarating as it did the first time, as if it’s something they’re meant to do.  All of their motions are fluid, like a dance rather than a fight. He feels warm where Akira’s back brushes against his. While Akira covers the opposite side, Leandro takes down the robots in front of him. When two bots land on their rooftop, Akira engages with them, jumping in front of their laser fire without hesitation. Leandro covers him, shooting back and forth across the neon cityscape until all of the other bots have been neutralized.

As they catch their breaths, Leandro grins widely. “Is it over? Because that was almost _too_ easy–”

“There should be at least three more of them,” Akira cuts him off, moving towards the roof’s edge. “Which means they’re somewhere down there hiding from us.”

Leandro meets his eyes with him. “Then what are we waiting for?

Akira smiles in response, a fleeting but captivating thing. He leads Leandro to the roof’s edge, where a narrow staircase emerges from the wall below. They work together without needing to discuss it. Leandro drops onto the stairs and hurries down while Akira covers him from above, in case of any bots hidden in the shadows. Once he reaches the bottom, Leandro does the same for Akira, who takes the stairs two at at time.

Back on the city streets, they stick together to look for the remaining bots. Gazing down a darkened side street, Leandro sees something glisten out of the corner of his eye. He nudges Akira and gestures that way. The other boy nods at him, mouthing “ _Cover me”_ , and then runs off into the darkness. Leandro backs up against the wall and inches closer until his gun is pointed in the direction of the light source.

Just as he thought, it’s one of the robots. It emerges from behind a building and shoots at him. Leandro fires back. Using a gun is natural for him, like it’s an extension of his hand. While he distracts it, Akira makes quickly makes his way around the building and creeps up behind the bot. In a matter of seconds, it’s neutralized.

Akira’s expression is not one of triumph, but surprise. “Leo, behind you!”

Whipping around, Leandro sees another bot advancing on him. He dives out of the way while Akira takes it on, and then joins in and finishes it off with a few more hits. Once neutralized, the robot stops glowing and retreats, heading out of sight.

“One left.” Akira says, and then gives him an appraising look that makes Leandro swell with pride. “We’ll have to set this thing at a harder level next time.”

 _Next time,_ Leandro thinks, smiling to himself. Together, they dash through the city streets, looking out for the last robot. The training room is smaller than it seems, but it still takes them a few minutes of searching to find it. Akira is leading the way, sprinting across every road like he owns the city. “We need a higher vantage point; follow me.”

They make their way to the bridge. It’s near the front of the training room, spanning across the city and reaching a height almost as tall as the buildings. It seems to be abandoned, so they hurry up the walkway and onto the highest part of the arch. In one precise movement, Akira jumps onto the bridge’s railing and balances there, surveying the city. Leandro follows his lead, a bit more carefully. They spot the last silver robot on a nearby rooftop. When, Akira starts to head back down, Leandro grabs his hand, speaking before he can second guess himself. “I can get us there faster.”

The other boy catches on, nodding apprehensively. “Have you done this with another person?”

“Yes. A few times.” _I can do this,_  Leandro thinks. He doesn’t know if he’s trying to convince Akira or himself. “Here – put your arms around me. And hold on tight.”

Wasting no time, Akira wraps his arms around Leandro’s shoulders. When they meet eyes, he looks confident enough for the both of them. Despite the booming music, his quiet voice rings out when he whispers, “I trust you.”

The words steady him, along with the boy’s warm body pressing against his. Leandro tightens his grip on Akira’s waist and then closes his eyes, getting in tune with his powers. He can feel the shadows twisting around him like living beings, brought to life by his touch. They converge around him until he fades into them, taking Akira with him. The last thing he sees before he squeezes his eyes shut again is the white-haired boy, looking enchanted by the darkness that envelopes them, enchanted by Leandro himself.

In a flash, they’re standing on the rooftop across from the bot. The shadows flit away from them, replaced with the dim glow of city lights below. Akira is still a bit disoriented from his first time shadow travelling, so Leandro jumps in front of him. He only gets a few shots in before the robot retreats, jumping to a new rooftop where it has more cover. They’ll have to get closer.

Akira comes to his senses, now turning to Leandro. “Do the shadow thing again.”

“Are you sure?”

“If you can handle it.” He challenges, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m more worried about _you_ –” Leandro says, but Akira is already holding onto him, looking at him expectantly.

Faster this time, he calls the darkness to them, feeling the movement of the shadows. A few seconds later, they’re face to face with the bot. Akira breaks out of his shock quickly this time and begins shooting. Leandro follows suit, crossing to the other end of the rooftop so the bot can’t escape. None of them have anywhere to hide, so the bot gets multiple hits on them, but Akira and Leandro are relentless. Soon enough, the bot is neutralized, and the game is won.

“That was incredible.” Akira turns around, and Leandro’s breath catches. He’s smiling widely, eyes shining with admiration. The neon city lights are hitting him just right – blues and violets dancing across him, sharpening his cheekbones and lighting up his eyes. For a moment, it’s like he’s made out of lightning – blinding in an addicting sort of way, electrifying the air. When he moves forward, Leandro instinctively steps back, almost as if he’s afraid of what he’ll do if he gets too close.

He steps into the open air, slipping off the edge of the rooftop. In a flash, the other boy is there to catch him, holding his waist tightly. Quintessence beams where they touch, a bright purple that shines through Leandro’s shirt and Akira’s fingertips. Before pulling him back to safety, Akira speaks with a low voice and a hint of a smirk. “Rule number three. Don’t get distracted.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I wanted to post this update early for Klance AU Month, but I'm planning on regular updates starting in March. Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> My twitter: @waywardbaz


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